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Show i ee . e generally undesirable and offered but slight inducements to the set- tler and colonizer. The name of this officer was Francisco Diaz de Vargas. He believed, however, having heard the latest reports from the countries desired to be explored, that, inasmuch as there appeared to be evidences of rich mineral deposits in the country, it would be well to send an expedition of exploration, not for colonization purposes, into the country and, in this way, confirm the reports that had been made by the friar and Espejo. To accomplish this, a force of fifty or sixty men was entirely sufficient and to that end he was entirely willing to head such an expedition himself. That, in the event the exploring expedition thus by him recommended, confirmed what had been reported, he, accepting the titles and usual emoluments which the law and the regulations gave, would be willing to take charge of a greater expedition, having for its object the settlement and colonization of the lands in question. There is no record of anything having come out of these various propositions. However, no expedition was organized either by Martin, Espejo, or de Vargas, and for the next five years nothing 1s known, which is of record, concerning New Mexico. Karly in the year 1589, Don Juan Bauptista de Lomas y Colmenares, a resident of the Nieves Minas, presented a petition to the 291 viceroy, Villamanrique, in which he proposed to undertake the conquest of New Mexico. His requirements of the crown were almost as exacting as was possiJUAN BAUPTISTA DE LOMAS Y COLble to be suggested by a subMENARES MAKES A PROPOSITION FOR ject. He proposed that he be THE CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO given a commission as captainoe ' general and governor, with almost unlimited authority for a period of six lives, to which there was to be attached a salary of eight thousand duecats, coupled with entire Jurisdiction beyond the Conchos river. All other explorers must be excluded from the territory, and he was to have the title of count or marqués for himself and hig descendants, together with forty thousand vassals. He also desired the privilege of granting three pueblos as entailed encomiendas, and another for the descendants of explorers who had not been provided for; also the right to fortify ports and build ships on either ocean. Associ ated with him were his sons. Don Juan Bauptista, in his petitio n, claimed to have rendered services at his own expense on the northe rn frontier.2% This contract was approved by the viceroy, and althou gh he had no authority to grant entradas, the contract was sent to the king for his approval, by whom, in the matter of approv al or disapproval, nothing appears to have been done. In the year 1595, Don Juan Bauptista renewed his petition, addressing the same to the then viceroy, Monterey, but it appears that nothing was done by this Tepresentative of the crown, and nothing is heard of the projec t thereafter, so far as the records show. Gaspar Castafio de Sosa had been alcalde mayor of San Luis Potosi in the year 1575, and, in 1590 was the lieutenant governor of Nuevo Leon. This explorer GASPAR CASTANO DE SOSA LEADS AN EXPEDITION INTO NEW MEXICO authority b : made up his mind expedition without the of the king in any way. viceroy or to lead an consulting obtaining the Castafio de Sosa claimed some a88 Pacheco, Doc., xv, 54-80. Here we find the Expediente sent from Mexico Y the viceroy in 1592 and attached to the second petition of Lomas in 1595. = record it is entitled: ‘‘Lomas, Asiento y ecapitulaciones que el virey iL, 4 nueva N mas Espafia, Colmenares, Marques Sobre el de Villamanrique, descubrimiento veva Mejico 4 15 de Febrero de 1589.’? hizo con Juan y poblacion de Bautista las provincias de del Pa RE eae So EXPLORATION S al SPANISH ee eal aia at EE ame ten or — Fe Sa tion to the ten thousand which had already been expended by him in his journey with Friar Beltran. In the expedition he could rely upon twenty associates, all of whom were men of considerable wealth, and that he was ready to give bonds in the sum of two hundred It thousand dollars for the faithful performance of his contract. is supposed that, as was usual with the so-called governors, Espejo asked for the several titles of captain-general, governor, and all the privileges which, under the laws, accompanied those positions in the New World. We have seen that Espejo made his request direct to the king and it is not believed that his intentions were known by the authorities at the City of Mexico. It is possible, that, owing to the fact that Don Cristoval Martin had made application for a contract of exploration, some sort of an investigation was had, for about that time the alguacil mayor and regidor of Puebla addressed the king upon the subject of exploration of the lands visited by Espejo. He was of the opinion that the country was not worth much, and was EARLY et HISTORY em, MEXICAN eae OF NEW hornet ta FACTS ee Ce i,ae eo ce LEADING — 2990 |